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Food & Nightlife

Paris has amazing food everywhere. You will quickly find that there are a few key shops for daily eats - patisseries (pastry shops), brasseries/bistrots/cafes (casual dining but tres parisienne), boulangeries (bread shops), and crêperies (specialty crêpes). Most places will have a formule or fixed menu for lunch and dinner, where you can get special deals on different combinations of courses. Avoid tourist areas (Ile St. Louis, Champ de Mars, Champs-Élysées, and the Latin Quarter are notorious) - they are overpriced and unsatisfying. Be sure to try other food nationalities in Paris. The city is full of incredible Lebanese, Asian and Italian restaurants. In general, there is a variety of places to eat –it’s up to you to discover your favorite croissant or crêpe!

Nightlife

Paris is famous for its nightclubs, and people love to dance, so do not miss out on a chance to cut loose in one of these surreal venues where you will most likely hear a mix of old school 80s and 90s music and the essential Daft Punk.

When the weather's warm, many young Parisians bring a picnic dinner or just a late-night bottle of wine to the wooden pedestrian bridge, Le Pont Des Arts, by the Louvre. Some also hang out along the Seine under Le Pont Neuf. Another option is of course Le Champs de Mars - the lawn beneath the Eiffel Tower - where you can enjoy the spectacular view of the Tower's glistening lights on the hour.

Vegetarians

If you are a vegetarian, then your best bet is to shop at the open air markets in your neighborhood. The Marche Bastille, which is every Sunday morning, is the biggest in Paris and is filled with countless fresh produce stands. There are also some quintessential Parisian streets such as Rue Lepic in the 18th, Rue Cler in the 7th and Rue Mouffetard in the 5th, which are lined with specialty cuisine shops spanning from fromageries to boulangeries to poissoneries to tiny fresh produce stores.You can also always find something vegetarian to eat at restaurants. Parisian cooking places a lot of emphasis on the integrity of its ingredients, and so there are usually seasonal vegetable dishes on any menu. The waiter should be happy to discuss the dish with you if you are uncertain.

Must Try These!

Anything from a patisserie

Café au lait

Cheese and wine

Crêpes

A fresh baguette

Pain au chocolat

Macaroons

Viennoise au chocolat

Palmier

Good to know

Water

Drinking water in Paris is very safe. However here is a tip: if you ask for water at a restaurant, it will be bottled water, which you must pay for. For tap water, specifically ask for une carafe d’eau.

Tipping

French law requires that restaurant and café bills include a mandatory service compris of around 12%-15%. However, if you feel that service was excellent, it is customary to leave some small change.